Do Cats Like Milkweed

They have evolved with the milkweed plant for several reasons.

Do cats like milkweed. Honeyvine milkweed Cynanchum laeve and butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa. Theyre endearing ubiquitous easy to identify and we have a special relationship with them. Succulents like jade are the perfect option for those who dont have a green thumb because theyre low-maintenance and beautiful.

Monarchs actually use the toxins in the milkweed sap as one of their defense mechanisms. Milkweed Tussock moth caterpillars appearance changes as they grow but I dont think they match your description. Pinch the very tip of a leaf and carefully turn it over without shaking the plant.

Your caterpillars will grow in size roughly 2000 from the day they hatch until the time they form their chrysalidesfrom 2mm to almost 2 inches. To accommodate this rapid growth to large monarch caterpillars they need to shed their skin molt 5 times with the final molt revealing their emerald green. To increase monarch populations people are increasingly planting ornamental types of milkweed and encouraging common milkweed to grow wherever it occurs in uncultivated areas.

Photo by Monika Maeckle. Key characteristics of Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa. Unfortunately jade is also one of several succulents that are poisonous to cats.

You really want to keep the milkweed fresh for your cats for fresh food means a healthy Monarch butterfly someday. Dont forget about adult butterflies too. Planting milkweed in gardens has become a popular way to support monarch butterfly populations.

Im happy to hear that the monarch caterpillars are feeding on your milkweed. The best thing to do is to plant MORE milkweed because this is the only host plant they feed on. Buy milkweed from Lowes not Home Depot.